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Has anybody ever heard of only doing half of a re-fret job? I would like to replace the first 5 frets on my Gurian which are really worn. The rest of the frets are excellent, however I'm afraid if I try and replace those, I may end up damaging the 30+ year old ebony fingerboard. Has anybody ever heard of just replacing the lower frets? If so, what techniques would you recommend for leveling the new frets once installed without changing the upper frets?

Thanks!

John

John,

You can replace five frets no problem. You won't have the luxury of a freshly planed fingerboard, but it should be really straight forward. Pull the frets with some nippers ground flush and just be careful. Ebony is easy to repair with ebony dust and ca glue.

Use frets that are similar in size to those already on the guitar, and levelling should be a breeze.

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I have done many times. Back when I gave lessons I often found new students had guitars such worn frets in the first it was hard for them to finger notes and chords with out buzzes or dead notes so I would do a quick first five or six refret in stead of that hours lesson.

partial refrets are a common procedure.

the ease of the procedure and the appearance of the end result will be enhanced by getting the wire sizes(and colours) matched as closely as possible.

with an old ebony board remember to heat each fret with your soldering iron beginning on the end where you will begin pulling. go slowly advancing the iron ahead of your pullers, pausing for the wire to heat up before squeezing the pullers shut. let the wedge shape of the jaws lift the fret while you keep the flat face of the jaws pressed down on the fretboard surface. often a tiny bead of water laid down in each side of the fret will,in combination with the heat, help soften the endgrain enough to prevent or minimize chipout.

I does it alls the times. Just did one. Hey, how about half a nut job...someone who's half crazy...

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Thanks for all the advice fellas! I'm going to try and find some matching fretwire than I'll let you know how it all comes out.

John

[QUOTE=Dave-SKG] I does it alls the times. Just did one. Hey, how about half a nut job...someone who's half crazy... [/QUOTE]

Dave, if you do that too often, you'll end up with customers half paying you!

Don't forget you can shine up the old frets, too. Mask the board and buff those puppies with progressively finer abrasive pads or sandpaper (don't start too coarse), and finish off with a good metal polish (Flitz is messy, but great!).

Serge,
The cheap one's try that...beware...

You can always tell them they can get the other half of the guitar when you get paid in full! I know this sounds sick... but I have always wondered what it would be like to smash a cheapo repair to smitherines right in front of the customer and then ask "anymore comments?". Sort of Belushi in Animal House deal...

I am getting better at weeding them out but must admit have had a few I wish I had never done work for. Only one that I ever built for that I have the same feeling...never should have sold the guy the guitar...you learn pretty quick after a while. Dave-SKG38822.7618634259

_________________
Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Yeah, public life, nutsy customers, i met quite a few of those in my " Bars & Restaurant years" i even had to struggle with a customer once, he wouldn't want to pay his already eaten meal and tried to leave, i had to run outside and try to convince him to pay by threatning him with a police call that i would have made, his only reply was that he took a bottle of whiskey from his coat's pocket and broke the whole front window of my aunt's restaurant, i had to hold him down 'till the cops came and took him in!

as for buffing up the old frets, a buffing wheel in a dremel is a lot easier than doing it by hand.

[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] as for buffing up the old frets, a buffing wheel in a dremel is a lot easier than doing it by hand.[/QUOTE]
Michael, what do you charge the wheel with? I've wondered how it can be done without flinging compound all over yourself and your shop.

i just use metal polishing compound, but it only takes a very little and the fling is very minor. the board is taped and i use a metal shield a la stew-mac as well to protect the board.

[QUOTE=crazymanmichael] i just use metal polishing compound, but it only takes a very little and the fling is very minor. the board is taped and i use a metal shield a la stew-mac as well to protect the board. [/QUOTE]
Thanks, Michael. I suppose a piece of cardboard set up to catch the spray would help to minimize the mess, too.